Combustion device comprising ash removing rotatable grate means



W. F. PFAU v COMBUSTION DEVICE COMPRISING ASH REMOVING ROTATABLE GRATE MEANS Filed Aug. 7, 1947 INVENTOR. I d-L ima F. fi

Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES FAT OFFlCE CQMBUSEION DEVICE COMPRISING ASH REMOVING ROTATABLE GRATE MEANS 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a novel and improved combustion device in which solid fuels, such as which are disposed on a revolving member, said stationary member being provided with means for discharging the ash residue from the revolving member. The ash residue gravitates from the combustion chamber to accumulate upon the revolving member, and the means on the stationary member pushes the accumulated ash residue from the revolving member to an ash container or ash removal conveyor.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel combustion device embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which like numerals are used to designate like parts, numeral I is a base or foundation of a furnace 2 of conventional design. A refractory ring 3 is supported in the furnace above the grate rings 4, with the bore of the refractory ring in registration with the bore of the grate rings. There are any number of grate rings to build up a fire box or combustion chamber of any desired depth. The grate rings are supported on a revolving plate or ring member 5 by means of any number of supports 5 spaced around the surface of the plate. The bottom grate ring is spaced 2. substantial distance above the plate. The grate rings are provided with spaced apart knobs i so that they in their superposed relation will be slightly spaced apart vertically from each other to permit air freely circulating therebetween.

A conical member 8 is mounted on the base or foundation I by any suitable means, such as a tubular member 9 having one end secured to the bottom I!) of the conical member by any suitable means. The conical member 8, bottom it and tubular member 9 may be integral or separate parts attached together to form a unit. The member 9 need not be tubular but could be solid.

Bil

These members function as a unit and are structurally a unit. The conical member is preferably of refractory material as it is directly exposed to the fire chamber. The bottom Ill has an extension or fin H, or a plurality of them, formed on a portion of its peripheral edge for the purpose hereinafter described.

The ring or plate member 5 is revolvably mounted on the base or foundation preferably upon balls 12 which are interposed between two raceways !3. Any suitable means, such as a. ratchet wheel I 4 with teeth meshing with an annular row of teeth I5 on the bottom of member 5, may be employed for rotating said member 5. The member 5 is of larger diameter than bottom is to extend substantially beyond the edges thereof and provide a shelf on which the ash residue "will. gravitate. When the member 5 is revolved beneath the conical member, the extension or fin portion on the bottom I ll will push the ash residue radially on the edge of the member 5 to the conveyor screw l6. Ordinarily one extension or fin is sufficient for removing the ash residue to the single screw conveyor, but there may be any number of these disposed in spaced apart relation and with a conveyor screw or ash receptacle adjacent each one.

The ratchet wheel may advantageously be mechanically driven in synchronism with the ash removing conveyor, and preferably from the same power source which drives the screw conveyor.

Another screw conveyor Il may advantageously be provided for feeding fuel into the furnace from any source of supply. It, too, may be driven by a common power means for driving the ash removing conveyor.

The novel and improved construction may be used with a mechanically or manually fired furnace. The crux of the invention is in the novel construction for removing the ash residue from the face of the revolving means as it gravitates from the combustion chamber after the fuel is burned.

The top surface of the revolving member 5 is preferably slightly spaced from the under side of the bottom M in order to allow air to circulate therebetween.

The conical member is preferably spaced from the lowermost grate ring a sufiicient distance to allow any pieces of slag, stone, or other noncombustible material which might be inadvertently in the fuel, to freely pass between the relatively movable parts and be removed with the ash residue.

The revolving member and the grate rings therein will sufliciently agitate the fuel in the fire bed to permit air to circulate and facilitate gravitation of fuel through the combustion chamber in an even and uniform flow so that it will be completely burned with the ash residue being deposited upon the top surface of the revolving member where it is pushed to the ash removing conveyor by the extension or fin on the edge of the bottom ll] of the conical member.

While a device illustrating the invention has been described in detail, it will be understood that there may be various changes in details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A combustion device for burning solid fuels comprising a fire box, a revolvable flat plate member beneath and spaced from the fire box, a stationary member interposed between the fire box and the revolvable member having a portion extending into the fire box, and an extension or fin on the edge of the stationary member adjacent the revolvable member and coacting therewith for pushing material off the outer edge of the revolvable member.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the portion of the stationary member extending into the fire box is conical.

3. A combustion device for burning solid fuels comprising a fire box defined by superimposed grate rings, a revolvable fiat plate member beneath and spaced from the fire box, a stationary member interposed between the fire box and the revolvable member having a portion extending into the fire box and spaced therefrom, and an extension or fin on the edge of the stationary member adjacent the revolvable member and coacting therewith for pushing material over the outer edge of the revolvable member.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 3 in which the portion of the stationary member extending into the fire box is conical.

WILLIAM F. PFAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 592,616 Sanderson Oct. 26, 1897 1,121,180 Haas Dec. 15, 1914 1,819,555 Herschell Aug. 18, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 682,275 France Feb. 11, 1930 

